Conventional absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers, have employed elastic members to produce stretchable gathers along the margins of the article. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,462 issued Sept. 27, 1977 to L. Woon et al. describes a disposable diaper having elasticized side margins which are configured for placement around the legs of a wearer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,562 issued Nov. 17, 1981 to H. Pieniak describes an absorbent article having elasticized side margins and also elasticized waistband margins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,877 issued May 5, 1987 to F. Williams describes a disposable diaper comprising a moisture-impermeable backing sheet, a fibrous absorbent batt, and a flexible hydrophobic facing sheet overlying the batt. The facing sheet has an aperture in the central crotch region of the diaper with zones of elastication in the facing sheet tending to apply tensioning forces to the facing sheet for urging the facing sheet (at least in the regions adjacent the aperture) away from the underlying batt structure.
European patent application Ser. No. EP 0 183 668 A2 published for 04 Jun., 1986 with the inventor listed as L. Widlund describes a disposable diaper comprising a liquid-permeable first outer layer, and a preferably liquid-impermeable second outer layer applied to either side of an absorbent body. Partly elastic members applied under tension are intended for bringing the edge portions of the article into tightly sealing contact with the body of the wearer. The primary distinguishing feature of the article is that the elastic members are comprised in a network. In particular, elastic members extend transversely across the width of the diaper.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,459 describes a diaper having longitudinal elastic stitching at the two longitudinal sides of the diaper and parallel transverse elastic stitching across the width of the diaper.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,548 issued Sept. 5, 1967 to N. Seltzer describes a diaper which has been contoured to form concavely configured opposite side edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,637 issued Dec. 7, 1976 to C. Schaar describes a disposable diaper comprising an absorbent pad assembly having front and back waistline portions, a crotch portion intermediate the waistline portions, a lateral fold in the crotch region along a laterally extending fold line, and an elastic constraint across the location of the lateral fold line. In particular, one or more elastic strips 7, 8 have their opposite ends secured to the back surface 30 of a fluid-impervious backing sheet 28 of the diaper on opposite sides of fold line 80.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,571 issued May 17, 1977 to J. Comerford describes an absorbent nether garment liner which comprises an absorbent layer having a first and second major surface. The absorbent garment assumes a nonplanar arcuate shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,070 issued Apr. 6, 1982 to I. Ternstrom et al. describes a disposable diaper including a first outer layer of a liquid-permeable material intended to abut the body of the user, a second outer layer of a liquid-impermeable material and an intermediate layer of absorbent material arranged between the two outer layers. At least that portion of the diaper which is situated in the user's crotch is provided with elastic bands or threads extending between the two side edges of the diaper. These bands or threads are at least partially connected with pretension to the liquid-permeable outer layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,073 issued Mar. 25, 1986 to J. Dysart et al. describes a composite waste-containment garment comprising a disposable, elasticized waste-containment insert secured by means integral with the insert inside a nonelasticized over-garment. The insert comprises an absorbent core and a liquid-impervious backsheet.
Conventional absorbent article designs, such as those disclosed in the above documents, have not adequately addressed the problem of the migration of waste materials toward and past the waistband sections of the article. Conventional designs have also allowed excessive intermixing between any feces deposited in the rear portion of the article and urine deposited in the front portion of the article. In addition, the conventional absorbent article designs have not adequately addressed the problem of excessive folding or wrinkling of the bodyside liner material. Such folds and wrinkles may inhibit the rapid passage of fluids through the liner and into the absorbent pad. As a result, the conventional designs may experience excessive leakage of waste materials from the absorbent article. In conventional designs employing one or more large aperture openings through the bodyside liner material, there may be excessive contact between the wearer's skin and the wet absorbent pad. This can cause excessive hydration of the skin and discomfort to the wearer.